Jacket arrived.
First impression...VERY nicely constructed Legend. I think they've finally hit their stride in making a coherent jacket in comparison to past Legends I've examined and owned in the past couple years.
The jacket is a large, and the sleeve length is actually long enough for my long arms. A VERY nice and pleasant change of events, as I've always had to go up a size in order to get a sleeve length that worked for me.
The cowhide is VERY distressed. The closest I can come up with in comparison is my TN CS cowhide jacket.....just half the physical weight than my TN.
The lining is the better lining, in comparison to the 30th anniversery lambskin, and as anyone who has read any of my reviews in the past knows, I have NEVER been a fan of the slick linings in the USW jackets. They're hot and easy to snag and I usually get them replaced shortly after I get a jacket with this lining. This lining I think I can live with, which is something for ME to say.
All seams and stitching straight and true.
The zipper looks to be a middle/heavyweight type jacket zipper and zipped on and off smoothly and with no effort.
It has the big LC type collar, like the 30th anniversery lambskin, but as others have posted and I have experienced with my jacket, the collar eventually calms down and fits right in. Out of the box, though, the collar looks HUGE, but appearances are deceiving. It should be as easy to train as my other jacket, which looks great now after wear and regular use.
The side buckles are still the sharp cornered sliders, but not the HUGE versions that came out on the first Legends that literally punched holes in chairs (like MINE did on my drivers seat of my Malibu when I first wore it.
)
I changed them out, but in making the change found they were made of pot metal, so I'd recommend changing them out for something better. They're easily broken out in comparison to the OLD sharp cornered versions one the original Legends. I thought I was going to have to hack-saw them off!
I had some extra G&B buckles and when installed it changed the side straps to foward pull, just like the OLD way of strap attachment. That never bothered me one way or the other.
Fortunately we still have a few cooler weather patterns to go through that I will be able to field test my new jacket before having to put all my jackets away for the season.
So, first blush? I'm pleased with my acquisition, and can only see it getting softer with wear and use, and COULD replace my reworked 30th anniversery USW lambskin as my 'grab and go' jacket in the future if it breaks in like I THINK it will.
Time will tell.
Regards! Michaelson
